Systematic Training for Effective Parenting of Teens
Systematic Training for Effective Parenting of Teens (STEP/Teen) is a group-based parenting education program designed for parents of children ages 13–17. STEP/Teen aims to teach parents how to encourage cooperative behaviors, avoid reinforcing unacceptable behaviors, change dysfunctional relationships with their children, develop problem-solving strategies, and prevent substance use.
Group leaders guide participants through weekly topic-focused sessions. Topics include understanding yourself and your teenager, changing your response to your teen, communicating respect and encouragement, encouraging cooperation and solving problems, using consequences to build responsibility, and applied problem solving for potential teen parenting challenges, such as homework completion, anger management, delinquency prevention, and sexual activity.
During each session, group leaders facilitate a discussion centered on the session’s topic that incorporates readings and activities parents completed before the session, show a video that models parenting skills and then lead a conversation about the video content, deliver a skill-building exercise, review a drug use prevention handout, provide a lesson summary, and assign readings and activities to complete before the next lesson.
STEP/Teen does not currently meet criteria to receive a rating because no studies met eligibility criteria for review.
Date Last Reviewed (Handbook Version 2.0): Jul 2025
Date Program or Service Description Last Updated: Jul 2025
Date Originally Reviewed (Handbook Version 2.0): Jul 2025
Sources
The following sources informed the program or service description, target population, and program or service delivery and implementation information: the program or service manual, the program or service developer’s website, and the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare.
This information does not necessarily represent the views of the program or service developers. For more information on how this program or service was reviewed, download the Handbook of Standards and Procedures, Version 2.0
Target Population
STEP/Teen is designed for parents of children ages 13–17.
Dosage
Group leaders typically deliver STEP/Teen in seven weekly 2-hour group sessions. Group leaders can also choose to deliver STEP/Teen in alternative formats. In the first alternative format, a “brown bag lunch format”, group leaders deliver STEP/Teen for 7 weeks with 14 twice-weekly 1-hour group sessions. The second alternative format is an abbreviated course that group leaders deliver in seven weekly 1-hour group sessions. In this format, groups leaders do not cover drug prevention and awareness content during the group sessions and instead distribute that content in handouts for parents to read on their own. If needed, group leaders may add extra sessions to allow time for discussion. In the third alternative format, leaders deliver STEP in a home setting, typically in individual 1-hour sessions which can range in frequency from weekly to monthly.
Location/Delivery Setting
Recommended Locations/Delivery Settings
Group leaders can deliver STEP/Teen in hospitals, outpatient clinics, community organizations, schools, or in-home settings.
Education, Certifications and Training
STEP/Teen does not have education or formal training requirements for group leaders. Group leaders include individuals with backgrounds in counseling, psychology, psychiatry, social work, ministry, pediatrics, education, or nursing, as well as laypersons.
Program or Service Documentation
Book/Manual/Available documentation used for review
- Dinkmeyer, D., Sr., McKay, G. D., McKay, J. L., & Dinkmeyer, D., Jr. (1998). Systematic Training for Effective Parenting of Teens (STEP/Teen): Leader’s resource guide. STEP Publishers.
- Dinkmeyer, D., Sr., McKay, G. D., McKay, J. L., & Dinkmeyer, D., Jr. (1998). Parenting teenagers: Systematic Training for Effective Parenting of Teens [Book]. STEP Publishers.
- Dinkmeyer, D., Sr., McKay, G. D., McKay, J. L., & Dinkmeyer, D., Jr. (1998). Parenting teenagers: Systematic Training for Effective Parenting of Teens [DVD]. STEP Publishers.
Available languages
STEP/Teen materials are available in English.
For More Information
Website: www.steppublishers.com
Phone: (802) 257-6900
Email: customerservice@echopointbooks.com
Note: The details on Dosage; Location; Education, Certifications, and Training; Other Supporting Materials; and For More Information sections above are provided to website users for informational purposes only. This information is not exhaustive and may be subject to change.
| Results of Search and Review | Number of Studies Identified and Reviewed for Systematic Training for Effective Parenting of Teens |
|---|---|
| Identified in Search | 0 |
| Eligible for Review | 0 |
| Rated High | 0 |
| Rated Moderate | 0 |
| Rated Low | 0 |
| Reviewed Only for Risk of Harm | 0 |